For Such A Time As This

As I sat back the other day and pondered the deep things of life, I couldn’t stop thinking about this profound quote I had read earlier. It was on the front of my “MILD Border Sauce” packet from Taco Bell. Why are you laughing? It read, “Of all those sauce packets, why me, why now?” Seriously, stop laughing. I’m going somewhere with this.

Have you ever stepped back and thought about what a special time we live in? Have you considered the technological advances in just the last 10 years? Or five years? Or three years? Even just looking back at the year 2005, where many of us retired our CD walkman and upgraded to an iPod. How many of you have started or are considering starting Podcasts? I honestly do wonder – Of all the times to be alive, why me, why now? Of all the valid and fruitful ways to reach people for Christ, why through the use of media, and why do I get to be a part of this amazing movement?

As we begin this New Year and are making our annual resolutions, let’s resolve to join God in his worldwide mission of changing lives. Let’s see our ministry through awe-filled eyes and be humbled to be called in to this great Kingdom work. Here are a few things you can do to start the New Year off right:

#1: Commit to grow spiritually – Whether you lead a media team, serve on a media team or are the media team, you need to be growing in your relationship with Christ.

#2: Commit to grow professionally – If you create the slides for your church service, take a class at a local college on PowerPoint or PhotoShop. If you produce in-house videos for your church, consider taking a Final Cut workshop or spending some time with a professional video editor. If you… you get the picture.

#3: Commit to grow numerically – Regardless of your team’s size, you need to constantly be recruiting and training new people to help maintain, expand and contribute to your media ministry.

#4: Brand your media team – What do I mean by that? Intentionally and strategically communicate the vision, mission and purpose of your media ministry. Whether you go by Tech Team, AV Team, Media or Multimedia Ministry, choose one and stick with it. Give your ministry an identity and consider things such as team shirts, group outings, dinners, gifts of appreciation, etc. to boost moral.

#5: Strive to grow in excellence in quality – Your church may do a number of things in the area of media ministry, including audio tape duplication, live video and creating its own in-house videos, but how much of it do you do well? I would have my audio team leader evaluate how they can improve the quality of what they do, as well as the graphics, lighting and video team leaders. However your teams are set up, dream about what the next level (in quality) is for you.

#6: Maybe you need to try something new this year – Every team can use a challenge; whether it’s a new goal, a new in-house project or starting a new type of ministry. Don’t overdo it and make sure you keep the main thing, the main thing. Obviously, if your team only consists of you this isn’t possible. Go back and concentrate on #3 above.

#7: Maybe you need to subtract something this year – If you are constantly frustrated that you do too much and are spread too thin, #6 is definitely not for you. If you’ve been trying to carry this huge weight alone, focus on #3. If you’re a part of a larger team and still experiencing burnout then talk with your team leader and prayerfully consider a sabbatical. If your media ministry does three things really well, but does a poor job with the fourth area of ministry, try #5. If focusing on quality doesn’t work, then don’t be afraid to cut it. No ministry has a forever shelf-life. Constantly evaluate what you do and why you do it.

This is a sweet time to be alive and a part of such a growing and vital area of ministry as media. The future is wide-open. Who knows what 2006 will bring and how things will change in one year’s time, but I’m looking forward to it and hope the Church will be on the cutting-edge of creativity, innovation and inspiration.